Wireless enabled monobloc

Abstract

A top case component of a lead-acid monobloc case that comprises a the top case component comprising a top exterior surface of the monobloc case, wherein the top exterior surface comprises: (a) a pocket configured to house a battery monitor circuit, wherein the pocket extends into an interior of the monobloc case past the sealed interface of the top case component and the primary case component; and (b) at least one pathway configured to house electrically conducting connections that place the battery monitor circuit in electrical connection with the positive and negative terminal poles of the monobloc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A top case component of a lead-acid monobloc case, the top case component comprising:
 a top exterior surface of the monobloc case;   a top interior surface of the monobloc case;   a top sealing surface configured to be sealingly bonded with a bottom sealing surface of a primary case component of the monobloc case, wherein the primary case component further comprises integral sides and bottom and the bottom sealing surface corresponds to the uppermost surfaces of the integral sides;   a positive terminal opening configured for a positive terminal pole of a monobloc to protrude through; and   a negative terminal opening configured for a negative terminal pole of the monobloc to protrude through;   
       wherein the top exterior surface of the monobloc case comprises:
 a pocket configured to house a battery monitor circuit, wherein at least a bottommost surface of the pocket is below the top sealing surface such that when the top case component is bonded to the primary case component the pocket extends into an interior of the monobloc case past the sealed interface of the top case component and the primary case component; and 
 at least one pathway configured to house electrically conducting connections that place the battery monitor circuit in electrical connection with the positive and negative terminal poles of the monobloc. 
 
     
     
         2 . The top case component of  claim 1 , wherein the pocket is configured in the top case component so that the pocket will be proximate to an intercell connector between electrochemical cell packs of the monobloc. 
     
     
         3 . The top case component of  claim 1  or  claim 2 , wherein the battery monitor circuit is on a circuit board, and
 wherein the pocket is configured to house the circuit board at an orientation selected from the group consisting of substantially horizontal, substantially vertical, or between substantially vertical and substantially horizontal. 
 
     
     
         4 . The top case component of  claim 3 , wherein the pocket comprises one or more structures configured to secure the circuit board within the pocket. 
     
     
         5 . The top case component of any one of  claims 1 - 4 , further comprising the battery monitor circuit housed in the pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The top case component of any one of  claims 1 - 5 , further comprising the electrically conducting connections housed in the at least one pathway. 
     
     
         7 . The top case component of any one of  claims 1 - 6 , wherein the battery monitor circuit comprises:
 a voltage sensor configured to be electrically connected to the positive and negative terminal poles of the monobloc for receiving power from the monobloc and for monitoring a voltage between the positive and negative terminal poles of the monobloc;   a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature at a location within the lead-acid monobloc that is below the top sealing surface of the lead-acid monobloc;   a processor for receiving a monitored voltage signal from the voltage sensor, for receiving a monitored temperature signal from the temperature sensor, for processing the monitored voltage signal and the monitored temperature signal, and for generating voltage data and temperature data based on the monitored voltage signal and the monitored temperature signal;   a memory for storing the voltage data and the temperature data, wherein the voltage data represents the voltage between the positive and negative terminal poles of the monobloc, and wherein the temperature data represents a temperature of the monobloc;   an antenna; and   a transceiver for wirelessly communicating the voltage data and the temperature data to a remote device via the antenna.   
     
     
         8 . The top case component of  claim 7 , wherein the battery monitor circuit further comprises further comprises a geo-location device for identifying a location of the top case component, and representing the location of the top case component with location data. 
     
     
         9 . The top case component of  claim 7  or  claim 8 , further comprising a composition for securing and protecting the battery monitor circuit housed in the pocket and the electrically conducting connections housed in the at least one pathway. 
     
     
         10 . The top case component of  claim 9 , wherein the composition is selected from the group consisting of potting material, adhesive, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The top case component of any of  claims 7 - 10 , wherein the processor is configured to analyze the voltage data and the temperature data and generate information derived from the voltage data and the temperature data. 
     
     
         12 . The top case component of any of  claims 7 - 11 , wherein the memory contains operating history of the monobloc in a battery operating history matrix, and wherein the battery operating history matrix comprises:
 a plurality of columns, each column representing a voltage range of the monobloc; and   a plurality of rows, each row representing a temperature range of the monobloc, wherein a numerical value in a cell of the battery operating history matrix represents a cumulative amount of time that the monobloc has been in a particular state corresponding to the voltage range and the temperature range for that cell.   
     
     
         13 . The top case component of  claim 12 , wherein, during operation of the battery monitor circuit, the memory stores information corresponding to the cumulative amount of time that the monobloc is in each of the plurality of states represented by the battery operating history matrix over a time period for which the battery monitor circuit is electrically connected to the monobloc, thereby characterizing the entire connected life of the monobloc, without increasing the storage space in the memory occupied by the battery operating history matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The top case component of  claim 13 , wherein the remote device further comprises a remote display system, remote from the monobloc, for displaying a location history and a battery operation history of the monobloc. 
     
     
         15 . A lead-acid monobloc case, the case comprising the primary case component and the top case component of any one of  claims 1 - 14 , wherein the primary case component and the top case component, when assembled, define at least one cell within the monobloc case. 
     
     
         16 . The lead-acid monobloc case of  claim 15 , wherein the primary case component has a draft directed toward the bottom such the integral sides slope inward from their uppermost surfaces to the bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The lead-acid monobloc case of  claim 15  or  claim 16 , wherein the primary case component further comprises at least one integral interior wall such that the primary case component and the top case component, when assembled, define a number of cells in the monobloc case. 
     
     
         18 . A wireless enabled lead-acid monobloc comprising:
 the lead-acid monobloc case of any one of  claims 15 - 17 ;   an electrochemical cell pack in each cell;   an intercell connector between each electrochemical cell pack;   the positive and negative terminal poles in electrical connection with the electrochemical cell pack(s); and   the monobloc parameter monitoring device and the wireless communications device are in electrical connection with the positive and negative terminal poles.   
     
     
         19 . A battery pack comprising:
 at least one string of wireless enabled monoblocs, wherein each string comprises a plurality of the wireless enabled lead-acid monoblocs of  claim 18  electrically connected in series or parallel; and   battery pack positive and negative terminals electrically connected to the string or strings, wherein the strings are electrically connected in parallel.